Train-control system



Sept 7 ,'1926.

P. w. MOSHER TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 29 Q N R Q INVENTOR & E Y v Q T Q LINQ T. m m m N m\ N ml Pele Masher ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 7, 1926.

UNITED: STAT S my!"iazw r o icE.

PETER w. MOSHER, F STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

TRAINQONTROL SYSTEM.

Application filed April as, 1925. Serial No. 26,690.

This invention relates to improvements in railway equipment and especially to automatic electric brake setting systems of the tically the same engine circuit and brake controlling means as shown in my Patent No. 1,539,500 dated'May 26th, 1925, and is espe; cially intended for individual installation on each track of a double-track road, on' which the traffic only n'oves in onedirectionh The principal object of this invention is to arrange a track circuit "which controls the closing of the engine circuit, and interpose-connections between the blocksignal semaphores and said track circuit, insuch a manner that the brakes on anengine entering the block in which the semaphore is set against the train, will be automatically set regardless of [any train ahead. 7

At the same timethe brakes are not applied on a head train, pern 1itting the latter if still in the block to continue onits way so that it may get out of said block as soon as possible. r

Another object isto arran 'e the system in such a manner that in the event that the head ti'ain fails to set the semaphore the presence 'of such train in theblock will cause b alre application to bemade on any train entering the block past the inoperative semaphore;

Therefore with my improved system, while the automatically actuated block signal' semaphores, as at present used, will cause an automatic stopping of train to be eiiected, if the train passes a semaphore set against it at the same time the failure of the semaphore to function willjnot affect the "operation of my system if another train is int'he. block ahead of thesemaphore. Of course if the semaphoreis down and there is no train in thefblockahead theb'rakes on sincefthejtrack is clear a following train will natura'lly not be set,

f'ifhese objectsflraccoinplish by means of such structurej andrelative arrangement of artsaswi11 fully appearfby a perusaljof the following specificationand claims.

In the drawings similar characters of ref- The present invention makes use of prac from each other.

, side of the break.

erence indicate corresponding parts in the several views: i f

1' is a diagrammatic plan of my improved system shown on a one-way track with two adjacent semaphores of a block system and indicating two trains, one between the semaphores and the other just en tering the block; the rear semaphore having been set by the head train.

Fig. 2. is a similar view with the two trains in the same position, but showing the rear semaphore as having failed to function when the head train passed thereby.

Referring now more particularly to'the characters of reference on the drawings, the I numerals land 2- denote the rails of each track insulated from each other but continuous between adjacent semaphores S and S at which points they are also insulated from the1 corresponding rails therebeyond at both enc s. 1

Adjacent the semaphores are third rail lengths 3, insulated frohrthe main rails and Each third rail also has an insulation break in the same in transverse alinement with the main rail breaks; At each semaphore is located a pair ofspaced wires a and 5. The wire 4 is connected to the adjacent rail 3 on one side of the insulation break and to the rail 2onthe other The wire 5 is connected to the rail 3 on the other side of thebreak and to the rail 2 on the opposite side of its break relative to the connection of said wire with the rail 3. Thisis plainly shown in the drawings.

, Eachiseinaphore arm 6 is connected to a switch or contact member 7 arranged, when the'semaphore is set or raised to a horizontal position, to bridge across the wires 4:

and 5; and 'when the semaphore arm is down, to be clear of said wires as clearly ,shown. I

Wires f8 extend 'froni therail sections 1 preferably centrally "of their length between thesemapho'r'es, to a'coinmon continuous wire 9 supportedfron1 the usual pole line found along railroad tracks.

The foregoing formsthe standing or track dircuit arrangement usable in connection do not affect the operation of the present system.

I have here indicated two engines A and B travelling in the same direction or from left to right on the drawing.

Each engine has lead wheels 10 and a shoe or contact 11 adapted to engage the third rail 3 and insulated from the wheels and the remainder of the engine. A wire 12 is connected at one end to the wheels 10 and at the other end to a battery 13 carried by the engine with a hand switch 1-1 normally held closed by a w ight interposed therein.

A wire 15 from the shoe 11 extends to one terminal of a solenoid 16, the other terminal of which is connected to the battery. The circuit therefore is normally broken since the shoe 11 is insulated from the wheels 10.

ine core 17 of the solenoid is connected to an arm 18 which in turn is connected to the operating handle or lever 20 of the air brake valve 21. IV hen the handle is in the OH position the core 17 is practically clear of the solenoid. I have here shown the rear engine B as just about to enter the block and with the shoe 11 on the rail 3, while the head engine A is in the block with its shoe 11 clear of any rail 3.

In 1 it is assumed that the engine A has set the semaphore S when passing by the same. This is done as now by the front wheel of the engine passing over the adjacent main rail break and causing the semaphore actuating circuit to be broken, an operation which raises the semaphore and with my im )roved system causes a connection to be made between the wires 4c and 5.

In order to insure that the brakes will notthen be applied to the engine setting the semaphore the length of the rail 3 beyond the insulation break in the direction of move ment of the engine, is shorter than the distanee from the front wheels 10 to the shoe 11, which is at the extreme front end of the engine. This will cause said shoe to be clear of the rail 3 by the time the wheels cause the main rail break to set the semaphore.

In operation with the engines in position as shown in Fig. 1, the engine A is not affected by the engine B and is free to continue on its way. The engine I, however,

'entering the block at the semaphore S, which is set, will instantly have a brake application made thereon.

This is because the circuit is then closed from the battery 13 through the wire 12 to the wheels 10, through rail 2 and wire 5, across member 7 and through lead 4 to rail 3, thence to shoe 11 and through wire 15 and solenoid 16 to the battery. The solenoid will then be energized causing the arm 18 to pull the handle 20 around to a brake setting .position.

As soon as the shoe 11 clears the rail 3 the circuit will be broken, but the solenoid core will not move out of the solenoid itself, and the handle 20 tends of course to remain in what ever position it has been placed. The brakes will therefore be kept applied until the train comes to a stop or until the engineer releases the same, the handle 20 having a suflicient length beyond the connection of the arm 18 therewith to serve as a hand grip.

The weighted switch 14: is for the purpose of enabling the circuit to be held open by the engineer as the train passes a set semaphore in the event that the engineer has seen the signal and has the train already under control. The weight insures that the switch will be at once closed as soon as the engineer releases his hold on the same.

In Fig. 2 the rear semaphore S is shown as being down or indicating a clear track, even though the engine A is ahead of the same and still in the block, the assumption being that the semaphore has failed to operate when the engine passed by the same.

In this case no connection is made between the wires 1 and 5 but the brakes on the rear engine B will be applied just the same as soon as the shoe 11 on said engine engages the rail 3 by reason of the engine A being still in the block.

This is because the circuit is now closed from the battery 13 through the wire 12 t0 the wheels 10, along rail 1, through the adjacent wire 8 to and along the lead 9, to and along the lead 8 ahead to the rail 1 beyond the insulation break, across the wheels 10 of the engine A to the rail 2, along rail 2 to lead 4, along wire 4 to rail 3, along rail 3 to shoe 11, and from said shoe to and through the solenoid 16 and battery by means of wire 15. Under these conditions also the engine A ahead will not be affected and can travel on and out of the block without interruption.

Various mechanisms have been devised for operating semaphores, those now employed being usually of the closed circuit type. I have here showna diagrammatic operating means for semaphore S, it being understood that each semaphore has its own individual operating mechanism. As here shown, the arm 6 is connected to a counterweight arm 22 which tends to raise the arm 6. A solenoid 23 whose core 24: is attached to the arm 22, acts when energized to hold the arm 6 lowered.

One terminal of the solenoid is wired to one rail, and the other terminal to the other rail. A track battery 25 is also wired to the rails, on the same side of the insulated break therein as the connections of the solenoid therewith. The circuit through the solenoid is therefore normally closed. maintaining the arm lowered. IVhen however a train bridges the rails, a short circuit is formed, causing the solenoid to be deenergized, whereupon the Weight is free to act on and raise the arm 6.

The solenoid will remain deenergized as train from such sec-tlon, the circuit to the solenoidiis reestablished, and the arm 6 is drawn to its lowered position. i I

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

lVhile this specification sets forth in detail the present/and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended Having thus described my cure by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic brake setting system for railway vehicles including with a normally open'electric brake actuating circuit on each vehicle, a block-signal system having spaced semaphore arms each arranged to be raised in turn by a velncle on the track passing the arms; means controlledby the raising'of a semaphore by a passing vehicle 'for -eausing the closing of'the brake actuating circuit to beeil'ected on a subsequent vehicle when the latter reaches said raised semaphore, and means whereby if the semaphore fails to be raised by the first vehicle the ,brakecircuit on a subsequent vehicle reaching said semaphore will still be closed as long as said first vehicle is within a predetermined dis tance ahead of said subsequent vehicle.

2. An automatic brake setting system for railway vehicles including with a normally open electric brakeactuating circuit on each vehicle, a block-signal system having spaced semaphore arms each'arranged to beqraised' in turn by a vehicle on'the track passingthe arms; means controlled by the raising of a V semaphore by a passing vehicle'for causing the closing ofthe brake actuating circuit to invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to sebe eflected on a subsequent vehicle when the latter reaches said raised semaphore, and means controlled by the presence of a vehicle in theblock ahead of a semaphore for causing the brake circuit on a vehicle sub- 1 sequently reaching said semaphore to be closed if said first named vehicle has failed to raise the semaphore.

3. An automatic brake setting system for railway vehicles including with a normally open electric brake actuating circuit on each 'vehicle, a block-signal system having spaced semaphore arms each arranged to be raised in turn by a vehicle on the track passing the arms; means controlled by the raising of a semaphore by a passing vehicle for causing the closing of the brake actuating circuit to beeffected on a subsequent vehicle when the latter reaches said raised semaphore, and circuit means independent of the semaphores and controlled by the presence of a vehicle in the block ahead of a semaphore for caus ing the brake circuit on a vehicle subse quently reaching said semaphore to be closed without affecting the circuit on the first named vehicle. a

4-. An automatic brake setting system for railway vehicles including with a normally open electric brake actuating circuit on each in'the block ahead of a semaphore for causing the brake circuit on a vehicle subsequently reaching said semaphore to be closed regardless of the position of the semaphore al- "ready passed by the first named vehicle.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

PETER W. MOSHER.

vehicle, a block-signal system having spaced 

